Immediately call your airline and ask them to rebook you
onto another flight.

Vardavas says this is the "number one most important thing you
can do." She says that you won't be charged a fee for the
rebooking, and that the quicker you call, the more likely
you are to get a relatively good seat on a flight that works for
your schedule.

Vardavas also advises confirming your seat assignment while on
the call since a last-minute booking usually means very few
window and aisle seats will be open. And no one likes being
stuck in the middle.

Know that if your flight is canceled because of
issues with the airplane equipment, you might be entitled to an
accommodation voucher.

According to Vardavas, if your flight is
canceled due to weather issues, the airline doesn't owe you
anything.But, if the cancellation has something
to do with the airline or airplane, you should inquire about meal
and accommodation vouchers. If the cancellation leads to an
overnight delay for you, your airline should provide you with a
hotel room for that night.

If you end up on a shuttle to an airport hotel, Vardavas says to
make sure to get a seat near the front of the bus so that
you can check in before all the other stranded passengers who
will also be staying at that hotel. Vardavas also says to
ask — while you're checking in — if you need a
reservation for a shuttle ride to the airport the next morning.
Making a reservation that evening will allow you to avoid panic
in the morning when you're trying to catch your flight.

If you've checked baggage and are delayed overnight, ask
for an amenity kit.

Cancellations are always easier to handle if you only have
carry-on bags. But if that's not the case, the airline will
reroute your checked baggage to your destination — it just might
not arrive at the same time you do, at which point the airline
will deliver your bags to you at no cost. Make sure to
keep your baggage receipt until you receive your
luggage.

Vardavas says that if you're stranded overnight, and you
have your toiletries in your checked baggage, you can go to the
airline's baggage service office (located near baggage claim) and
ask for an amenity kit. According to Vardavas, these
handy kits contain the essentials: a toothbrush, toothpaste, a
sleep mask, lip balm, ear plugs, lotion, etc.

Stay calm and be nice to those working for the
airlines.

Flight cancellations are frustrating, especially if you need
to be somewhere. However, as Vardavas says, it's not the fault of
your gate attendant, flight attendant, or pretty much anyone else
working for the airline. So don't take it out on them. Instead
remain calm and be friendly — this is your best bet for
getting rebooked onto another flight and getting to your
destination as soon as possible.